The commotion caused by the announcement of appointing Sheikh Muhammad Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, to deliver the "Day of Arafah sermon" this year in Saudi Arabia has not subsided for three days.

Opponents of the appointment say that Sheikh Al-Issa promotes normalization with Israel, while others see the man as representing the "voice of modernization" and the values of "tolerance, enlightenment," and "moderate Islam."

Circulated posts on social media show Al-Issa in meetings with leaders of different religions on several occasions. This tweeter wrote that Al-Issa's "meetings with non-Muslims" are part of his job duties.

On the other hand, a tweeter lists reasons for opposing Sheikh Al-Issa’s "ascending" the Arafah pulpit, saying, "Muhammad Al-Issa prayed at the Holocaust memorial, met with Jewish rabbis, and supported the Diyarna project, which considers the Al-Baqi cemetery in Medina to be a Jewish heritage... so how does such a person ascend the pulpit of Arafah?"

Analysts who spoke to media sites pointed out that entrusting Sheikh Muhammad Al-Issa with the "Day of Arafah sermon" aligns with the Saudi leadership’s approach to consolidating a culture of tolerance, coexistence, and openness in the Islamic world.

Political analyst Mubarak Al-Attiy considered Al-Issa’s selection a "blow to extremist organizations, confirming the country's continuation in changing the religious discourse and standing against all those who worked and sought to distort Saudi Arabia’s efforts in serving the Guests of God."

Moderate Islam
Saudi political analyst Turki Al-Qablan says that the choice of "Sheikh Al-Issa to lead the sermon and prayer on the Day of Arafah this year confirms that the Kingdom, with the direction of Muslims’ Qiblah, follows the principles of moderate Islam."

He explained in a media interview that "Al-Issa was able during the past period to translate moderate Islam into reality, at a time when extremists seek to hijack Islam and portray it as a religion of extremism."

Social media users reposted pictures and clips of Sheikh Al-Issa performing prayer on the anniversary of the victims of the "Holocaust" during his visit to the Auschwitz extermination camp.

Writer and researcher Hussein Abdul Hussein expressed surprise at "the objection to appointing a preacher for the Day of Arafah because of his moderate views," questioning: "Is the alternative to display extremism in Islam?"

Among the objections is that Hajj belongs to all Muslims and that choosing a person for this task is their right.

Reflecting Saudi Arabia’s Vision

Al-Qablan confirms that there are "many parties that fight moderation in Islam and want to promote it as a religion that embraces extremism, and they consider religion a tool to achieve what they want."

He added that "selecting Sheikh Al-Issa aligns with Saudi Arabia’s vision, desired by the King and Crown Prince, that the Saudi society will confront any fundamentalist extremist tendencies, and the Islamic society must unite in one front through moderate Islam."

Turki Al-Hamad wrote, a former professor of political science at King Saud University: "The important thing is that in the new, renewed Saudi Arabia, no voice rises above the voice of modernization and the values of tolerance and enlightenment, for the caravan of the future is on its way."

Writer Abdul Hussein points out that "preachers reflect the official line and policy of the state in general, and in Saudi Arabia, religion is part of the official institution, so what we hear from the pulpit in the Kingdom reflects specifically the official orientations."

He believes that Saudi Arabia "has strengthened its moderate discourse," including reaffirming the promotion of "peace" in the region, which "Israel might be part of."

Political analyst Ali Rajab told "Al-Hurra" website that "Saudi Arabia chose the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League to confirm Saudi’s role in leading the Islamic world," adding that despite the presence of "currents rejecting the moderate approach inside the Kingdom or even in Islamic countries, Saudi Arabia re-produces and presents itself as leading the enhancement of moderate Islam worldwide."

Writer Waheed Al-Ghamdi defended the appointment of Sheikh Al-Issa and said on Twitter, "The discourse presented by Dr. Al-Issa is very confusing for the extremist mindset that has long tried to establish a singular discourse that breeds hatred and ignorance and sows the seeds of terrorism. The most important now is that this year’s Arafah pulpit impacts all other pulpits."

U.S. Ambassador for Combating Anti-Semitism, Deborah Lipstadt, pointed out in a special interview with media outlets the existence of "an important political shift in Saudi Arabia’s behavior towards Jews, which may lead to opening a new era with Israel and the United States."

Lipstadt said: "There were many manifestations of anti-Semitism in Saudi Arabia previously, and seeing that change is a good indicator."

She explained that "many changes are occurring, including a change in attitude toward Jewish sites in the region, and certainly there is a Jewish community in Medina and other places in the Gulf."

A tweeter said that Al-Issa "prays with Buddhists," saying "Muhammad Al-Issa prays with Buddhists; how can he then pray with Muslims on the Day of Arafah... explain to us..."

Political analyst Mubarak Al-Attiy sees that Saudi leadership’s choice of Al-Issa is a deserved step, as "the Sheikh enjoys a scholarly status qualifying him to be an outstanding imam and preacher. He holds academic qualifications in Shariah, including master’s and doctoral degrees in comparative judicial studies and public law - constitutional law. He rose through the judicial ranks to reach the position of Chief Judge of the Court of Cassation, in addition to being highly competent, which qualified him to assume the Ministry of Justice in 2009 and to hold the position of Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council in 2012."